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Red Mountain is located more than 300 kilometres southeast of Seattle, on the eastern edge of the Yakima Valley, where the Evergreen State shrivels into hot, dusty desert. You’ll find more than a dozen wineries on this gently sloping bump-more hill than mountain-that doesn’t even boast a general store yet, let alone the luxe inns and upscale restaurants you associate with established wine regions.
The draw for serious wine tourists is the outstanding fruit of Red Mountain’s naturally blessed soil. The grapes grown here, mostly cabernet, syrah and merlot, are big, thick-skinned, intensely tannic and rippled with muscle and minerality. The resulting wines are winning unheard-of accolades: Wine & Spirits named local Klipsun Vineyards one of the 25 great vineyards of the world; Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave Quilceda Creek Vintners Red Mountain-dominant cabernet sauvignon 100-point scores for its 2002, 2003 and 2005 vintages.
Some of the world’s best winemakers, from Napa (Doug Long of David Arthur Vineyard) to Tuscany (the Antinori family), have been buying and planting hundreds of acres. New wineries are under development, but among the existing operations with tasting rooms, here are our favourites.
Sip
Col Solare Winery (50207 Antinori Rd., Benton City, 509-588-6806, colsolare.com) is the swanky, $6.5-million showpiece winery resulting from a joint venture between Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle and Italy’s Marchesi Antinori. Locals like to say that when the building’s bell tower first tolled in 2007, Red Mountain officially came of age. Try 2005 Col Solare (a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc).
John and Ann Williams of Kiona Vineyards Winery (44612 N Sunset Rd., Benton City, 509-588-6716, kionawine.com) planted the first grapes on Red Mountain in 1975. Their new tasting room
offers panoramic views of the vineyards and distant Horse Heaven Hills. It also sells artwork and enough gourmet foods for a picnic, along with their often whimsically labelled wines.
Try Vivacious Vicky Nice Legs Merlot.
Hedges Family Estate (53511 N Sunset Rd., Benton City, 509-588-3155, hedges
familyestate.com) is a biodynamic vineyard (using a natural farming method governed by the phases of the moon) that makes voluptuous Bordeaux-style red blends in a formal and pastoral French chateau trimmed with rose gardens. Try 2006 Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain wine (a cabernet sauvignon and merlot blend).
Stay
The Santa Fe-inspired Desert Wind Winery (2258 Wine Country Rd., Prosser, 509-786-7277, desertwindwinery.com) has four upscale suites fitted with gas kiva fireplaces and balconies overlooking the Yakima River. Rates from $175 (U.S.).
Go "glamping" in a luxury teepee with a miniature teepee shower at Cherry Wood Bed Breakfast and Barn (3271 Roza Dr., Zillah, 509-829-3500, cherry
woodbbandb.com), where you can also saddle up for a horseback wine-tasting tour through Rattlesnake Hills. Rates from $175 (U.S.).
Eat
Frank Magaña, newly arrived from Tacoma, fires up Northwest fare with Spanish flair at Picazo 7 Seventeen (717 6th St., Prosser, 509-786-1116, picazo717.com).
The wine lounge at Bookwalter Winery (894 Tulip Ln., Richland, 509-627-5000, bookwalterwines.com) is a popular destination for local tastings and even for chatting up local winemakers. Live music Wednesday to Saturday. wl
Visit experiencewa.com, washingtonwine
.org and winecountrywashington.org for more information.
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